Ephesians 5 – NIRV & CCB

New International Reader’s Version

Ephesians 5:1-33

1You are the children that God dearly loves. So follow his example. 2Lead a life of love, just as Christ did. He loved us. He gave himself up for us. He was a sweet-smelling offering and sacrifice to God.

3There should not be even a hint of sexual sin among you. Don’t do anything impure. And do not always want more and more. These are not the things God’s holy people should do. 4There must not be any bad language or foolish talk or dirty jokes. They are out of place. Instead, you should give thanks. 5Here is what you can be sure of. Those who give themselves over to sexual sins are lost. So are people whose lives are impure. The same is true of those who always want more and more. People who do these things might as well worship statues of gods. No one who does them will receive a share in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6Don’t let anyone fool you with worthless words. People who say things like that aren’t obeying God. He is angry with them. 7So don’t go along with people like that.

8At one time you were in the dark. But now you are in the light because of what the Lord has done. Live like children of the light. 9The light produces what is completely good, right and true. 10Find out what pleases the Lord. 11Have nothing to do with the acts of darkness. They don’t produce anything good. Show what they are really like. 12It is shameful even to talk about what people who don’t obey do in secret. 13But everything the light shines on can be seen. And everything that the light shines on becomes a light. 14That is why it is said,

“Wake up, sleeper.

Rise from the dead.

Then Christ will shine on you.”

15So be very careful how you live. Do not live like people who aren’t wise. Live like people who are wise. 16Make the most of every opportunity. The days are evil. 17So don’t be foolish. Instead, understand what the Lord wants. 18Don’t fill yourself up with wine. Getting drunk will lead to wild living. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit. 19Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord. 20Always give thanks to God the Father for everything. Give thanks to him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Teachings for Christian Families

21Follow the lead of one another because of your respect for Christ.

22Wives, follow the lead of your own husbands as you follow the Lord. 23The husband is the head of the wife, just as Christ is the head of the church. The church is Christ’s body. He is its Savior. 24The church follows the lead of Christ. In the same way, wives should follow the lead of their husbands in everything.

25Husbands, love your wives. Love them just as Christ loved the church. He gave himself up for her. 26He did it to make her holy. He made her clean by washing her with water and the word. 27He did it to bring her to himself as a brightly shining church. He wants a church that has no stain or wrinkle or any other flaw. He wants a church that is holy and without blame. 28In the same way, husbands should love their wives. They should love them as they love their own bodies. Any man who loves his wife loves himself. 29After all, no one ever hated their own body. Instead, they feed and care for their body. And this is what Christ does for the church. 30We are parts of his body. 31Scripture says, “That’s why a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife. The two will become one.” (Genesis 2:24) 32That is a deep mystery. But I’m talking about Christ and the church. 33A husband also must love his wife. He must love her just as he loves himself. And a wife must respect her husband.

Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)

以弗所书 5:1-33

行事与圣徒的身份相称

1因此,你们既然是上帝疼爱的儿女,就要效法上帝。 2要以爱心待人,像基督爱我们一样,祂为我们牺牲自己作为献给上帝的馨香供物和祭物。

3一切淫乱、污秽或贪婪的事在你们当中连提都不要提,才合乎圣徒的身份。 4污言秽语、愚昧粗俗的谈笑都不合宜,总要说感恩的话才好。 5因为你们清楚知道,淫乱的人、污秽的人,还有贪婪的人,就是拜偶像的人,在基督和上帝的国里没有立足之地。 6不要被虚空的道理欺骗,因为上帝的烈怒必临到上述那些悖逆的人。 7所以,你们不要与他们同流合污。

8你们从前活在黑暗中,现在既然活在主的光明中,行事为人就该像光明的儿女。 9光明总是结出良善、公义和真理的果子。 10你们要察验什么是主所喜悦的事, 11不可参与那些黑暗无益的事,反要揭发斥责, 12因为那些人暗地里做的事就是提起来都觉得可耻。 13然而,一切的事被光一照,都会真相大白, 14因为光能使一切显明出来。因此有人说:

“沉睡的人啊,醒来吧!

从死人中起来吧,

基督要光照你了!”

15因此,你们要注意自己的生活,不要像愚昧人,要像有智慧的人。 16要爱惜光阴,因为现今是个邪恶的世代。 17所以,不要做糊涂人,要明白主的旨意。 18不要醉酒,醉酒会使人放荡,要被圣灵充满。 19要用诗篇、圣乐、灵歌互相激励,从心底唱出赞美主的旋律。 20凡事总要奉我们主耶稣基督的名感谢父上帝。

夫妇之道

21你们要存敬畏基督的心彼此顺服。

22做妻子的要顺服自己的丈夫,如同顺服主基督。 23因为丈夫是妻子的头,正如基督是祂的身体——教会的头,又是教会的救主。 24教会怎样顺服基督,妻子也要照样凡事顺服丈夫。

25做丈夫的要爱妻子,正如基督爱教会,为教会舍己, 26好借着自己的道用水洗净教会,使她圣洁, 27以便把圣洁、完美、没有污点、皱纹等瑕疵的荣耀教会呈献给祂自己。 28同样,做丈夫的也要爱妻子如同爱自己的身体,爱妻子就是爱自己。 29没有人会厌恶自己的身体,人总是珍惜保养身体,正如基督对待教会一样, 30因为我们是祂身上的肢体。 31“因此,人要离开父母,与妻子结合,二人成为一体。” 32这是一个极大的奥秘,然而我是指着基督和教会的关系说的。 33总之,你们做丈夫的都要爱妻子如同爱自己,做妻子的也要敬重丈夫。